Postal worker thanks responders who saved his life

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (NEWSCHANNEL 3) - Rusty Hyder says he definitely had died and it was his coworkers and Kalamazoo first responders that brought him back to life.

"The response of all the individuals combined...if one of the pieces of the puzzle wasn't there, I might not be here," says Hyder.

He went into cardiac arrest at his job at the Miller Road Post Office in Kalamazoo in January. It was only later he learned officers with Kalamazoo Public Safety and paramedics had arrived quickly to stabilize him.

He is now back home on his 60 acre farm in St. Joseph County with his wife and children, because of them.

"They were doing CPR constantly for 45 minutes to an hour at a steady rate, they just kept rotating people in," says Hyder.

And Monday night he publicly thanked them at the city commission meeting and was reunited with some of his rescuers.

Hyder spoke at the meeting telling commissioners, "I really want to thank all of you and the former commissioners for deciding to support those great men and women.”

KDPS Assistant Chief Brian Uridge says it is the department’s unique structure that has made it so successful in saving lives.

"Every one of those officers you see driving in the black and white police cars and everyone in those fire trucks they are all cross trained fire fighters, police officers and first responders. Every one of those people you see driving and that's a big benefit in the community," says Uridge.

Rusty Hyder says a thank you was the least he could do for the people that saved him.

Hyder has had a pacemaker put in, he plans to be back at work next week.Postal worker thanks responders who saved his life